Alternator failure!
Ten minutes or so after leaving EGCC yesterday, we had a 'low bus voltage' warning, rapidly followed by 'alternator inoperative' warning. So we called the tower and were given permission to return to the field. As always, the controller was most helpful. After a further few minutes a 'hot' smell started to waft into the cockpit.... But a safe arrival followed, after a few anxious minutes. There was no obvious sign of fire, so we took everything out of the aircraft, having first extracted the fire extinguisher. Then we removed the engine cover. There appeared to be nothing wrong - but the alternator was VERY hot.
Question. Has anyone else experienced this sort of problem? The aircraft is a PA28 Archer, just over a year old.
Whilst I knew that the battery would give us enough power for the radios and transponder for a while, the overheating is worrying....